Summary

Media caption,

'No justification' - World leaders react to Trump's global tariffs

  1. Trump says market, stocks and US are all going to 'boom'published at 06:49 British Summer Time 4 April

    Media caption,

    'The country is going to boom' after tariffs, says President Trump

    US President Donald Trump said last night he expects the US to "boom" following his tariff announcement.

    He added that nearly $7 trillion (£5.4tn) worth of investment could flow into the country once the tariffs take effect.

    "The markets are going to boom, the stocks are going to boom, the country is going to boom," he said.

    He also said the rest of the world was now trying to strike deals with the US.

  2. IMF says tariffs pose 'significant risk' to global economypublished at 06:41 British Summer Time 4 April

    The International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Kristalina GeorgievaImage source, EPA

    The managing director of the International Monetary Fund said last night that the new tariffs "clearly represent a significant risk to the global outlook at a time of sluggish growth".

    Kristalina Georgieva said the IMF was still looking into the "macroeconomic implications" of the measures and stressed the need to avoid actions that could do more damage to the global economy.

    "We appeal to the United States and its trading partners to work constructively to resolve trade tensions and reduce uncertainty," she said.

    The IMF is a global organisation with 191 member countries.

  3. Japan's PM says the country is facing a 'national crisis'published at 06:30 British Summer Time 4 April

    Japan's Prime Minister Shigeru IshibaImage source, EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock

    Japan, one of the US's biggest trading partners and its largest foreign investor, is now facing a "national crisis", Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba says.

    Speaking in the parliament earlier, Ishiba said his government is working with all parties to try to soften the impact of the 24% tariffs Japan is facing from the US.

  4. Nikkei 225 hovers near lowest level in eight monthspublished at 06:16 British Summer Time 4 April

    Mariko Oi
    Asia business correspondent

    The stock markets in Japan, South Korea and Australia are falling for a second day, with the Nikkei 225 flirting with its lowest level in eight months.

    China's markets are closed for a public holiday, but the popular video app TikTok faces its deadline either to be sold by its Chinese owner or face a ban in the US this weekend.

    Donald Trump has said that if there is a sale, he would consider offering some relief from US tariffs on Chinese imports. He has said a deal involving multiple investors is very close.

  5. Three ways tariffs might affect you and your moneypublished at 05:57 British Summer Time 4 April

    Unlike the countries we just mentioned, the UK is facing a 10% tariff on all goods heading to the US. But there’s still a lot of uncertainty about what that could mean for people here.

    Here’s how it could affect you and your money:

    Prices could rise – or fall

    Once the tariff is in place, the value of the dollar could strengthen. That might push up import costs for UK firms buying goods, which could then be passed on to UK consumers through higher prices.

    But some economists say prices might actually drop at first. That’s because firms that usually sell to the US might start sending their goods to countries like the UK instead – possibly leading to a surge of cheaper goods here.

    Your job could be affected

    Higher prices might lead workers to ask for bigger pay rises. If UK companies see their profits squeezed, job cuts could follow. More than 25,000 jobs in the car manufacturing sector could be at risk.

    Interest rates could stay high

    Rates are currently at 4.5%, and economists had expected two cuts this year. But if inflation rises because of higher prices, rates might stay higher for longer.

    For more detail, BBC business reporter Michael Race has the full story.

  6. Which countries are seeing the highest new tariffs?published at 05:47 British Summer Time 4 April

    Paul Sargeant
    Visual Journalism Team

    President Trump revealed the tariffs for a number of major countries during his speech on Wednesday, but the full list was released a little later by the White House.

    Here are the countries with the highest tariffs announced yesterday.

    Vietnam has by far the largest economy among this group - with an annual GDP of around $430bn - and is the only one among the world’s top 50 largest economies.

    In comparison, the Falkland Islands, despite being a British overseas territory rather than a country, has a GDP of around $370m - over 75,000 times smaller than the GDP of the United States.

    Graphic list of the 15 countries hit by the biggest US tariffs in the latest announcement, starting with Lesotho at 50% and Serbia closing the list at 38%
  7. Watch: The UK and US fallout from Trump's tariffspublished at 05:30 British Summer Time 4 April

    On Wednesday, the US president announced taxes on goods coming into his country, including 10% on all UK imports.

    Here are the BBC's Henry Zeffman and Anthony Zurcher on how the fallout has unfolded - and what might come next:

    Media caption,

    Watch: The UK and US fallout from Trump's tariffs

  8. What have affected countries been saying?published at 05:13 British Summer Time 4 April

    Governments around the world have been reacting to tariffs imposed on them by the US. Here is what some world leaders have said:

    • European Union chief Ursula von der Leyen has said the consequences of the tariffs "will be dire for millions of people around the globe"
    • UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said yesterday that his government is "taking a calm approach, acting in the national interest"
    • The Chinese government has promised “resolute countermeasures”, which will hurt American companies trying to sell into China's market
    • South Africa’s presidency has said that the tariffs "affirm the urgency to negotiate a new bilateral and mutually beneficial trade agreement with Washington"
    • In Brazil, its foreign ministry said the government is "evaluating all possible actions to ensure reciprocity in bilateral trade", according to the Reuters news agency
    • Over in Australia, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has described the tariffs as not being "the act of a friend", adding that they are "unwarranted"

    You can find a list of affected countries in our article taking a look at the tariffs.

  9. Asia-Pacific stock markets fall for second daypublished at 05:00 British Summer Time 4 April

    A man walks past an electronic board showing the Nikkei 225 index on the Tokyo Stock Exchange along a street in Tokyo on 4 April, 2025.Image source, Getty Images

    Stock markets in Asia have fallen for a second day after US President Donald Trump announced a salvo of tariffs hitting 180 countries and territories, as concerns grow about a global trade war.

    On Friday, Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 fell by another 3.5%, Australia's ASX 200 was down more than 2%, and Singapore's Straits Times Index was almost 3% lower.

    South Korean stocks are also losing ground but that appears to be related to the country's constitutional court upholding the impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol.

    Markets in mainland China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan are closed for public holidays.

  10. Trump tariffs spark fears of a global downturnpublished at 04:59 British Summer Time 4 April

    Johanna Chisholm
    Live page editor

    Traders in New York stand on the trading floor and wear expressions that are stressed and serious.Image source, Getty Images

    Donald Trump’s far-reaching tariff offensive is proving for a second day to thwart the hopes of investors that economic stability would return before the week’s end.

    The US president’s announcement of a levy of 10% on nearly all US imports starting tomorrow, and higher rates on some of America's biggest trading partners from 9 April, sent shockwaves through global markets on Thursday.

    In the US – the country whose president kicked off this meltdown in his bid to remake the world’s economic order – Wall Street experienced its largest one-day loss since June 2020.

    That downward trend seems poised to continue for a second day – as we’ll hear more about in our next post, Asia-Pacific shares dropped for a second day after heavy losses the day before.

    We’re also continuing to follow the reaction of world leaders. From Brussels to Beijing, we’ll be bringing you the latest on how different countries are preparing to respond to Trump’s escalating trade war.